Political Intrigue at the University of New Orleans

Sen. David Vitter's reelection campaign appears to have subtly (or not so subtly?) put the kibosh on an appearance by his Democratic challenger, Rep. Charles Melancon, at the University of New Orleans.

Melancon was to appear at an event hosted by the Orleans Parish Democratic Executive Committee, in a room booked by the committee on UNO's campus, the Times-Picayune reports. Melancon's campaign had allegedly invited supporters to it as part of a "jobs and jambalaya" campaign tour, and Vitter's spokesman queried the University about the event, and its policy of prohibiting campaign events on campus. UNO canceled the event.

According to the Times-Picayune's reporting, the person in charge of the university center where the event was to be held called his predecessor in that job (who happens to be the mother of the Democratic Executive Committee official who made arrangements for the event) and told her that Vitter's campaign had threatened to pull funding for the university unless they canceled the event. Vitter's campaign, the paper reports, has denied making any such threat.